Home : Immigrants' Rights

United Nations Set to Adopt Ruling Criticizing Arbitrary Security Detentions of Immigrants by the United States (03/22/2005)
NEW YORK- In a stern rebuke to U. S. immigration detention policies, a panel of experts at the United Nations ruled that the government is violating universal human rights standards by continuing to detain an Algerian immigrant, Benamar Benatta, who was taken into custody on September 12, 2001, the American Civil Liberties Union said today. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights is expected to adopt the opinion during its 61st session, which opens this month.

ACLU Sues Federal Agents for Illegal Arrest and Detention of Iraqi Refugee (03/17/2005)
GREAT FALLS, MT--The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, and the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project today sued two federal agents for unlawfully stopping, interrogating, arresting, imprisoning, and seeking to deport an Iraqi refugee who was legally admitted to the United States and had broken no laws. As a result of his illegal detention, the man lost his job and suffered serious humiliation and emotional distress.

House Includes Asylum and Privacy Assault in 'Must Pass' Funding Bill; ACLU Urges Senate to Reject Sensenbrenner Measure (03/16/2005)
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives today attached controversial anti-immigration legislation to an emergency military funding bill. The American Civil Liberties Union urged the Senate to reject the House's efforts to evade regular legislative order, saying that the REAL ID Act would make it more difficult to seek asylum, lay the foundation for a national ID card and chill free speech.

ACLU of Massachusetts Applauds Boston Police Commissioner's Opposition to the CLEAR Act (02/14/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today praised Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen M. O'Toole for opposing the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act, an act expected to be taken up again this term by Congress that would pressure local and state law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

House Approves Assault on Immigrants' Rights and Privacy; ACLU Urges Senate to Reject Sensenbrenner Measure (02/10/2005)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union strongly urged the Senate to reject legislation approved by the House today that would make it more difficult to seek asylum, lay the foundation for a national ID card and chill free speech in America.

ACLU, Allies Oppose Sensenbrenner's Anti-Immigrant Bill; Mean-Spirited Measure Would Hurt Persecuted, Undermine Privacy (02/09/2005)
WASHINGTON - In one of its first major actions this session, the House of Representatives is debating today anti-immigrant legislation introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). The American Civil Liberties Union renewed its opposition to the measure, H.R. 418 - the REAL ID Act -- joining a diverse coalition of privacy, immigrants' rights and conservative organizations who have raised concerns.

ACLU Applauds Decision by New York Trial Judge Striking Down Laws Banning Same-Sex Couples from Marrying (02/04/2005)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union applauded a decision by a New York trial court issued today striking down as unconstitutional New York marriage laws that ban same-sex couples from marrying.

Sensenbrenner Renews Assault on Immigrants' Rights; ACLU Says Measure Would Hurt Persecuted Seeking Sanctuary (01/26/2005)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today opposed legislation introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), calling it an unnecessary assault on immigrants. The Sensenbrenner legislation includes several controversial provisions that were pulled from the intelligence reform legislation adopted by Congress last year.

High Court Affirms That Government Cannot Indefinitely Detain Mariel Cubans (01/12/2005)
NEW YORK - The Supreme Court today ruled 7-2 that the government violated the law by indefinitely detaining ""Mariel"" Cubans who cannot be deported because Cuba will not allow their return.

In First Week, House Renews Anti-Immigrant Push; Extreme Measures Rejected During Intelligence Reform Debate (01/07/2005)
WASHINGTON - With the new Congress barely a week old, three major anti-immigration bills are already in play. The American Civil Liberties Union called many of the bills extreme and noted that most were rejected as harsh and unnecessary during debate over intelligence reform legislation passed at the end of last year.

As 109th Congress Convenes, Rep. Sensenbrenner Sets Anti-Immigrant Tone (01/04/2005)
WASHINGTON -- As members of Congress return to Washington to open the 109th Congress, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is set to introduce legislation that the American Civil Liberties Union called an uncalled-for assault on immigrants. The new Sensenbrenner legislation includes controversial provisions that were pulled from the intelligence reform legislation adopted by Congress last year.

New ACLU Report Documents Devastating Effects of Post-9/11 Deportations on Immigrant Communities and Families (12/08/2004)
NEW YORK-At a roundtable discussion today with more than 20 human rights advocates and Muslim community members, the American Civil Liberties Union released a new report documenting the devastating effects that the Bush administration's ""anti-terrorism"" policies have had on immigrant families and communities.

ACLU Hails Unanimous Supreme Court Decision Rejecting Unfair Deportation of Legal Immigrants (11/09/2004)
WASHINGTON, DC-In a victory for immigrants' rights, the Supreme Court today ruled that a drunk driving conviction, while a ""nationwide problem,"" does not allow for mandatory deportation of legal immigrants.

Indiana Civil Liberties Union Awarded Grant for Community Outreach (11/01/2004)
INDIANAPOLIS--The Indiana Civil Liberties Union announced today that it has received a $20,000 grant from the Efroymson Fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation to support the creation of a ""What Are My Rights?"" program for community education and outreach. The grant will allow the ICLU to design and implement a civil liberties curriculum for at-risk high school youth and recent adult immigrants.

ACLU of Virginia Offers Legal Assistance to People Facing FBI Questioning Under Sweeping Pre-Election Surveillance Initiative (10/18/2004)
RICHMOND, VA--The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced today that it will provide lawyers to assist persons selected for questioning under a sweeping FBI initiative to aggressively target Muslims and Arabs and surveil Mosque activities leading up to the November 2 election.

La ACLU hace un llamado a la Camara de Representantes a que Rechace la Propuesta de Ley llamada "Reforma al Sistema de Inteligencia"; La Medida Expande La Ley Patriotica y Apacigua a los Grupos Anti-inmigrantes (10/08/2004)
WASHINGTON - Dada la derrota de algunos Congresistas que intentaron eliminar muchas de las medidas injustificadas de la legislación creada para implementar las recomendaciones de la Comisión del 9/11, la Unión Americana de Libertades Civiles hoy hizo un llamado a los legisladores a que rechacen la propuesta.